Pie pan lifter



Jan. 23, 1945. c. G. BAILEY PIE PAN LIFTER Filed Dec. 16, 1943 HIIIIIH HIIUUHHHJ un..

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Patented Jan. 23, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PIE PAN LIFTER Carl G. Bailey, Staunton, Va. Application December 16, 1943, Serial No.` 514,533

,5 anims. (o1. 294-34) This invention relates to a lifter for pie pans and equivalent articles.

It is particularly aimed to provide a novel construction having improved link and leverage mechanism adapting it to ready application to pie pans or the equivalent of various sizes, and it is further aimed to provide such a structure wherein the parts are maintained retracted by spring action and are extensible through operation of the operators thumb against a depressible part.

The more specic objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the description following taken in connection with accompanying drawing illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawing- Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved pie pan lifter;

Figure 2 is a view in central vertical section taken on the line 2--2 of Figure l; and

Figure 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure l.

In carrying out the invention, I provide a bar at I0, preferably metallic, having a raised handle II, at one end formed by olisetting a portion of the bar at I2, bending in opposite sides of the portion II toward each other to provide a tube as shown, which is closed at the outer end, for example, by a Wooden plug I3 riveted in place as `at ifi.

Suitably fastened 'to the forward end of the bar III is a transverse barv I5 having raised and inturned anges I6 along its longitudinal edges whereby it is of channel shape.

Slidably mounted in the channel of the cross bar l5 are the horizontal portions I1 of L-shaped jaw members I8 which have depending legs at i9 and spaced inwardly-extending feet 20 at the base thereof, and which are adapted for engagement under the flange at the upper edge of a pie pan suggested at 2| in Figure 3. Such hori-- zon'tal portions I'I are of the same length and normally abut at the longitudinal median line of the bar I2.

Levers 22 normally parallel with bar I0 and disposed one on each of opposite sides thereof, are pivoted at 23 to laterally extending lugs 24 on such bar. Such levers by means of bolts or the like at 25, are pivotally connected to the horizontal portions I'I and either the latter or the levers are provided with elongated slots 26 through which such bolts 25 pass. v I

A pair of links 27 are pivoted at 28 to the levers 22 and are bolted or otherwise pivoted together as at 29 and to an actuator strip 30.

Strip 3G is slidable to the extent permitted by a lug 3| fastened to the bar IIJ in combination with an elongated slot 32 of the strip 30 into which it extends. y,

Strip 30 also has an offset portion 33 which is slidable in a slot 34 in the oiset portion I2 so that it extends into the hollow of the handle I I and abuts and maintains a coil spring 35 therein tensioned or under compression. Thus, the tens ioned spring 35 normally maintains the jaw members I8 retracted and in the full line 4position of the drawing.

Inl applying the device to a pie pan 2|, handle II is gripped by the operator who places his thumb in engagement with a shoulder 36 on the strip 30 and moves it toward the remainder of the hand, thereby pulling pivot 29 and thus causing links 21 to spread and accordingly spread the levers 22 from their pivots 23, which levers due to the elongated slots 26 and bolts .25, move jaw members I8 away from each other approximately to the dotted line position of Figure 3. By reason of this movement, the jaw members are capable of engaging pie pans of different sizes. After spreading of the jaws and engagement with the pie pan, the thumb releases the shoulder 36 and the spring 35 thereupon expands to oppositely move the actuator strip 30, links 21, levers 22 and the jaw members, to cause the latter to grip the pie pan 2| as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3,

and accordingly the pie pan will be gripped and held so that it may be advantageously lifted.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A lifter of the class described having a transverse bar, handle means for said bar, panengaging .jaw members slidably mounted by the bar and normally abutting at the longitudinal median line of the handle means, link and lever mechanism connected to the handle means and to said jaws, and actuator means operatively mounted on the handle means connected to the link and lever means.

2. A device of the class described comprising a transverse bar, handle means extending therefrom, jaw members of the same length slidably mounted by said bar and normally abutting at the longitudinal median line of the handle means, levers operativelyyconnected to the jaw members and to the handle means, an actuator operatively mounted on the handle means, and operative connections between the actuator and levers to move the latter in order to extend and contract the jaws. v

3. A device of the class described comprising a transverse bar, handle means extending therefrom. jaw members slidably mounted by said bar, levers operatively connected to the jaw members and to the handle means, an actuator operatively mounted on the handle means, operative connections between the actuator and levers to move the latter in order to extend and contract the jaws comprising pivoted links, and means to limit movement of the actuator member away from the bar, said jaw members being adapted for engagement to limit movement of the actuator member in the opposite direction.

4. A device of the class described comprising a a transverse bar, handle means extending therefrom, jaw members slidably mounted by said bar, levers operatively connected to the jaw members and to the handle means, an actuator operatively mounted on the handle means, operative connections between the actuator and levers to move the latter in order to extend and contract the jaws, a spring carried by the handle means, said actuator abutting said spring and maintaining the latter under compression.

5. A device of the class described comprising a transverse bar, handle means extending therefrom, jaw members slidably mounted by said bar. levers operatively connected to the jaw members and to the handle means, an actuator operatively mounted on the handle means, operative connections between the actuator and levers to move the latter in order to extend and contract the jaws, a spring carried by the handle means, said actuator abutting said spring and maintaining the latter under compression, said spring being within the handle, said actuator being slidable into the handle, and a thumb-engaging shoulder on the actuator.

CARL G. BAILEY. 

